BUFFALO, N.Y. — Knowing that a storm was coming, the Erie County Commissioner of Public Works said crews were well prepared for the potential heavy rain and snowfall.
William Geary said, "The National Weather Service gave us ample amount of opportunity to make sure all our salt barns were full, all our trucks were ready to go. Crews were set up on rotations to keep 24-hour operations all the way through next week."
Geary added that the mix of freezing rain and snow could make cleanup more complicated.
"We would definitely prefer to have measurable, plowable type snow. The worst of it is when we get the freezing rain because the rain just freezes on contact," he said.
2 On Your Side also spoke to officials in the City of Buffalo and the Town of Hamburg about the storm.
"We're always listening to forecasts, and then being prepared for all the different things that Mother Nature can throw at this city," Michael Finn, the Buffalo commissioner of public works, said.
Hamburg Emergency Manager Sean Crotty told us, "We were kind of expecting the unexpected: rain, freezing rain, snow, winds."
He added, "It's just a matter of monitoring the road conditions, having our police officers give us real time situational awareness so we know what's going on. Hamburg's a pretty big town, and it covers a big demographic of different weather patterns, so we rely on them to feed us information."
County officials say if you are going to be on the road this weekend, make sure you have a full tank of gas, as well as items that might come in handy if you get stuck, such as a blanket and flashlight.
Crews also are reminding drivers to be careful on the road, keep a good distance between cars, and make sure your vehicle is totally cleared off before you start driving.
Plow crews from the City of Buffalo's Department of Public Works were out salting and plowing residential streets early Sunday morning. DPW officials and Buffalo Police are is reminding residents to follow parking regulations to allow proper snow removal operation.
Police say Ralph C. Wilson Jr., Centennial Park and Erie Basin Marina were both reopened to pedestrian and vehicle traffic Sunday afternoon.
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